You might not have started decorating your home for Halloween yet, but that doesn’t mean your family won’t get scared early by poor air quality in your Metro DC area home. Dealing with unhealthy indoor air issues can be an eerie thing for homeowners and their families—here are some of the ways you can tell you have an indoor air quality (IAQ) problem in your house.
1. Funky Odors in Your Home
Unpleasant smells in your home can horrify your nostrils, but they can also be a warning sign for a number of different air pollutants, including:
Mold and mildew
Cleaning product chemicals
Cooking off-gasses
Gas leaks
You know how the number one rule in a horror movie is never to go down into the basement? Well there should also be a rule for unusual aromas in your home: if something doesn’t smell right, make sure it’s not an IAQ issue!
2. Trouble Sleeping
Studies have shown that poor indoor air quality has been linked to sleeping problems. If you’re tossing and turning in the night, it might not be because of all the scary movies you’ve been binging while getting in the Halloween mood—it could be air pollutants keeping you from getting the rest you need!
3. Dust on Your HVAC Vents
While putting up fake cobwebs around the house to get in the holiday spirit is a fun way to celebrate, seeing actual dust and spiderwebs in your home, particularly around your HVAC vents, is a sign that your HVAC system isn’t removing enough common air pollutants from the air circulating through your ductwork. Your ductwork could also have leaks that are bringing dirt, dust, and other air pollutants into your home from your attic or basement.
4. Mold or Mildew Growth
You might have gone out and bought some Halloween-themed molds to make jello brains or jack-o-lantern shaped chocolates, but the other kind of mold is the kind you don’t want in your house! Mold and mildew can grow in a home due to high humidity or moisture levels and a lack of ventilation. Mold can cause health issues and make your home stink like rotting wood, so it’s important to get it taken care of quickly.
5. Cold Symptoms & Sinus Issues
If you’re going trick or treating, you’ll want to check the weather forecast and make sure Halloween night isn’t going to be chilly, or your kids could end up sick or with stuffy noses. But if your family is dealing with colds that never seem to end, your home’s air could be the culprit. The symptoms of poor air quality in a home often overlap with that of the flu or a seasonal cold, including sneezing, coughing, and more, which is why poor IAQ is often misdiagnosed.
6. Increased Allergies or Asthma
Some people just don’t like getting into the Halloween spirit, claiming they’re “allergic” to dressing up and enjoying the holiday. But if you find your real allergies or asthma acting up more than usual when you’re inside, it could be your house that’s making you sick—mold in particular can be a significant asthma trigger in the home.
Allergens can also make their way into your home through cracks and gaps in your home’s building envelope. If your allergies are worse at night and in the morning, it could be from pollen that’s making its way into your house via air leaks that need to be sealed up.
Reach out to Home Energy Medics Today!
What changes can you make to your home to scare away air pollutants and create a healthier, indoor environment for your family?
At Home Energy Medics, our team of home performance professionals specializes in services that help make houses more efficient, comfortable, and improve indoor air quality. Proper air sealing, insulation, duct sealing, and ventilation of your home can prevent outdoor air pollutants from getting inside your home while reducing indoor humidity. A home energy audit is the perfect first step, as you can identify the location of air leaks and poorly insulated areas of your home where home performance upgrades will make the biggest difference to your home’s air quality.